Idealism Flashcards
What is Idealism?
Idealism claims that there is no external world at all, all that exists are ideas.
How does Berkeley attack Locke’s primary and secondary qualities?
Berkeley agrees that secondary qualities are mind-dependent, however he says that primary qualities are mind-dependent too.
- A smooth surface may look jagged under a microscope
- Something that is small to you may seem large to a small animal
Berkeley highlights how our perception of objects differ depending on circumstances. So we can’t say that these objects have one size or shape independent of how its perceived.
Therefore, if both primary and secondary qualities are everything that we perceive (nothing in addition to it), and if they are both mind-dependent, then this means that there is no such thing as mind-independent external world.
What is Berkeley’s Master argument?
Berkeley asks to imagine a tree that exists independently of being perceived — you can’t do that because its impossible. If you imagine a tree in an empty room, then you are still perceiving the three in you mind, it exists as a part of you imagination, meaning it is still being perceived by you.
Berkeley’s point is that you can’t truly think of an object existing entirely unperceived — it is inconceivable You can think of an idea of a tree, but not the tree itself that exists independently. Therefore, the argument supports his view that objects only exists if they are being perceived ny someone.
What is Berkeley’s argument “God as the cause of perceptions”?
First, Berkeley argues that since ‘physical objects’ refer to ideas themselves, not mind-independent objects, then there is no veil of perceptions. By perceiving ideas — we perceive reality. Reality = ideas. The only question is what is causing these perceptions?
P1. Everything we perceive is mind-dependent.
P2. There are 3 possible causes of my perception — ideas, my own mind, another mind
P3. It can’t be ideas, because ideas by themselves don’t cause anything
P4. It can’t be my own mind, otherwise I would have at least some control over it
C1. Therefore, the cause of perceptions is another mind
C2. Given the complexity and variety of my perceptions, the other mind must be God
How would Berkeley respond to criticisms:
1. “Why are objects sill in the room if I go away and then come back?”
2. “If two people look at the same tables they ,gift perceive it differently?”
- Berkeley explains that all these objects in the room constantly exist in the mind of God.
- What we perceive are copies of ideas that exists eternally in God’s mind (when he wills me to perceive it). In any case, when we are looking at a table, we are perceiving the same copy of God’s idea, so we are perceiving the same thing
What is the problem with the role of God?
Berkeley’s view that ‘what we perceive are ideas that exists in God’s mind’ is doesn’t match his definition of God.
Berkeley says that God is perfect, so he doesn’t feel pain, but I often feel and perceive pain. If my perception of pain is an idea on God’s mind, surely he perceive pain too — but this contradicts Berkeley’s definition of God.
What is Berkeley’s response to the problem with the role of God? And an objection to it?
Ideas like pain exists in God’s understanding, but God doesn’t feel pain himself. When we feel pain, it is what God wills us to perceive.
We could also argue that oír perceptions often change, and yet God is unchanging. So, if my perceptions are idea in God’s mind and my perceptions constantly change, then God must change too — which is a contradiction to a definition
What is solipsism and Berkeley’s response to it?
Solipsism is the view that one’s mind is the only thing that exits. So if “to be is to be perceived” then how do we know that other people exist too? If idealism is true, then nothing exists when we are not perceiving it e.g when I go to sleep — but this sound absurd
Berkeley’s answer to a criticism is simply saying that everything is being constantly perceived by God.
What is the hallucination problem?
If I took drugs and I see a green goblin on my sofa, it’s not plausible to say that goblin is actually there like a chair or a table
